Devastated (EDIT: Happy ending!)

Post the good things and the bad things that have happened to you on Neopets here.
Wingsrising
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Wingsrising »

Oh, man. That's absolutely horrible and, unfortunately, not terribly surprising.

Does anyone know the RL contact details for Neopets? I'm told that (once upon a time) people with frozen accounts had better luck getting them back via snail-mail. (If you work someplace with fancy letterhead, it's a bonus. If I needed something from Neopets, I would totally use my official university "Wingsrising, PhD" letterhead.)

Google suggests several different phone numbers, none of which may be real. But that would be something else to try.
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Rakumel
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Rakumel »

Oh, man. :( I just got through reading through this whole thread, and even though you and I don't know each other, I still want to say how sorry I am all this happened to you. I know if I ever lost one of my pets through something I had no control over, I'd be pitching a fit. Especially if it was Djauko, my UC Darigan Blumaroo - that new art is hideous.

If you don't mind me asking, are any of your new pet goals obtainable by the lab ray? The reason I ask is, one of my side accounts is for nothing but zapping pets with excellent names to give away. I'd be happy to give you one of your new dream pets if I ever zap one.
Mistress Morbid
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Mistress Morbid »

Thanks Rakumel, I appreciate it. Yeah, pitching a fit is a good way to describe how I feel right now. ><

I am looking to eventually get a Zombie Aisha, so if by chance you ever come by one I'd definitely be interested. Thanks again.
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Mistress Morbid
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Mistress Morbid »

*takes deep breath*

Okay, I hope people don't mind me double posting in this thread occassionally, I'm just trying to keep this up to date with information as it happens.

I sent in another Account Access Form earlier this morning (I'm planning on sending one in every day now in hopes of getting different support staff...maybe one will help). And I got a reply from someone named Emily saying:
Hi,

How did someone else get your account information?
Now, I'm trying not to get my hopes up as they've been crushed into the ground previously, but I wrote a very long and detailed email back to her explaining why I KNOW that I was hacked and not scammed. I told her everything - how it was impossible for someone to guess all of my information, how they could not cookie grab me because I hadn't been logged in for months and months, and how that one hacker Cheesie is advertising on shady forums that they will hack neopets for $50. I'm hoping maybe she's willing to listen, and perhaps she'll at least help me get Wythorn back (I also explained to her that I would forget about my other 3 pets in exchange for his return).

Again, I'm trying not to raise my expectations...but every new staff member that I get a mail from gives me a glimmer of hope that they might actually help me...
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AngharadTy
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by AngharadTy »

I hope you get Wythorn! Keep bugging them, oh man, bug them so much. It's their fault, they're idiots, and they'd better take care of you properly.
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Mistress Morbid
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Mistress Morbid »

I'm actually jittery right now after typing that email reply back to her. Part of me is just so nervous that I will never get any of them back, but another half is thinking that just *maybe* this staff member will be different and listen to my pleas.

You have no idea how determined I am....I WILL send a Report Form every day. I will continue to do so until I get the help I deserve and not this automated response bullshit or excuses. Just because I'm not paying for the site doesn't mean they can treat their users this way. Hell, even Premium users have the same terrible service I heard. And that's really inexcusable because they're giving them money. How hard is it for them to transfer ONE pet off of a FROZEN account back to its rightful owner? Is that interrupting the site? Is that giving me an unfair advantage? It isn't even taking away from someone else because that person is iced anyways. The whole point of this website is to have these virtual pets. If they don't take these sorts of complaints seriously, then what the fuck is the point of them maintaining it? I love how they're so quick to freeze people for cheating in a game, or saying the wrong thing on the neoboards. They're obviously monitoring and watching incoming reports, so why the hell can't they do something in this situation? They seem to run by the idea of "Guilty until proven Innocent".

I also love how in their Rules/Information they have:

"Keep in mind:
Contrary to what many people claim, no one has ever hacked into Neopets, accessed user information, accounts or usernames. The ONLY means by which a user can have an account stolen is when they inadvertently or intentionally gives away their password. "
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TCStarwind
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by TCStarwind »

TNT wrote:"Keep in mind:
Contrary to what many people claim, no one has ever hacked into Neopets, accessed user information, accounts or usernames. The ONLY means by which a user can have an account stolen is when they inadvertently or intentionally gives away their password. "
Yeah, they're horrible at this. I think something similar has happened before, too. They'll go out of their way to protect all the SUPA AWESUM players, but won't lift a finger for anyone else, many of whom I'm sure were the victims of the same attack. :/ I've also heard of cases whey they froze players for unknowingly trading for a pet that was stolen and/or scammed from someone else, or for picking up a stolen/scammed pet from the pound or something lame like that. TNT just doesn't seem to care.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you, though. :)
Fjorab_Teke
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Fjorab_Teke »

Yeah, I really hope they get things under control somehow. And meanwhile, I hope you can at least get Wythorn back!

Greedy people and those who hurt others for the kicks of it really irk me to no end.
ZomgethMew
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by ZomgethMew »

x_x The staff can be awful at this - I hope you get Wythorn back, MM. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Neopets: wocky_luvpet5566 | Subeta: omg_carrie
Fjorab_Teke
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Fjorab_Teke »

I get the feeling their hands are tied, too. I'm sure it's all hush-hush and lawyerbot.
AngharadTy
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by AngharadTy »

Yeah, but if someone steals my car, and sells it to Joe Jones, and the police find it... they don't let Joe Jones keep it.
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Mistress Morbid
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Mistress Morbid »

God dammit this is pathetic...

Can you believe I just had a dream last night about getting my pets back? -_- I dreamt that I woke up to get ready for work, checked my email, and I had a reply from the emily girl. It read basically like: "I read your report and I believe everything you say. I'm so sorry that happened, I've returned all your pets to you!"

I went into Neopets and sure enough all 4 of my pets were back. I was so overjoyed that in my dream I asked myself multiple times to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Even asleep I knew it was too good to be true. However my dream self went through my regular morning routine of getting ready, and repeatedly went back and looked at the email to make sure it was true.

Yeah....woke up for real a few minutes ago. Nothing in my inbox. ><
AngharadTy wrote:Yeah, but if someone steals my car, and sells it to Joe Jones, and the police find it... they don't let Joe Jones keep it.
"Hello, police? Yes I wanted to report a stolen vehicle."
"Can you tell us any details sir?"
"Actually, I know who did it. There's a guy who lives just down the street. I can see it in his driveway."
"Oh, well we're sorry to hear that."
"Pardon?"
"We can see that's your car, but there's nothing we can do about it. How do we know if it was even yours in the first place? Besides, this person seems to really like it, so we'll have to let them keep it."
"..."
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Officer 1BDI
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Officer 1BDI »

Mistress Morbid wrote:I also love how in their Rules/Information they have:

"Keep in mind:
Contrary to what many people claim, no one has ever hacked into Neopets, accessed user information, accounts or usernames. The ONLY means by which a user can have an account stolen is when they inadvertently or intentionally gives away their password. "
I can't believe crap like this is actually legal. We know this is not the case; how can they blatantly tell us this has never happened? Isn't that akin to... false advertising or something?

MM, I don't think there's anything pathetic about dreaming that your account was restored; the pets are clearly important to you because you poured so much time and effort into them, and I don't think your feelings are unjustified at all. Heck, two nights ago I dreamed I had managed to get my hands on a rare collectible toy I've been eyeing... except I was lucid dreaming and I actually knew that when I woke up I'd lose it. :P
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Xelio
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Xelio »

I'm sure everyone that knows your plight feels for you MM. How goes the BBB angle? I really wonder if you caused enough of a stir with going to them if it wouldn't get you some kind of results. You did follow neopets terms and conditions and yet were "punished." Somehow I would see that as a breech of contract on their end and maybe the BBB could help somehow.
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Mistress Morbid
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Re: Devastated (WARNING: Neopets may have been hacked)

Post by Mistress Morbid »

I got an email today from the BBB saying:
This is to let you know that we have sent your complaint to the company for a response, which is the first step in our complaint resolution procedure. We will notify you of the company's response as soon as we receive it, but please allow at least 14 days to hear from us. In the meantime, if the company should contact you directly, please let us know. You may do this online or by fax or mail, using the contact information on this letterhead. If you have any questions, please call us.
I'm hoping it will kick TNT into shape, but I'm not holding my breath for anything. Neopets has an F Rating on the BBB right now. You'd think they'd care about that shit.
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